Free Texas Gold by Liz Lee

down.
    He was being way too silent. She didn’t like it a bit. No telling what he was thinking plodding along beside her looking like he ran miles in his sleep.
    She picked up the tempo and pointed out the library and old fire station and courthouse. She showed off the historic jail and old train depot.
    And her reward, a few nods, that’s nice and hmmm’s.
    At least he’d broken a sweat, but then she had, too. He didn’t complain a bit. Just picked up the pace when she did.
    After mile five, she’d had enough. He’d seen most of the historic markers downtown, and she couldn’t keep talking and running at the same time after that, so they’d jogged along in silence. The only sounds those made by birds, locusts, crickets and grasshoppers when they ran too close to the heat dried grass.
    As they turned the corner back to her street, Mallory eyed him just to make sure he wasn’t faking his athletic ability. She was breathing harder than him. So much for making him feel awed by her athletic prowess. Hopefully, he’d been impressed with the town enough to see growth would hurt it.
    When she pushed open her door, he finally spoke. “You didn’t lock it?”
    She shook her head, breathing in big gulps. “No, silly. No one locks their doors in Serendipity.”
    For a second he didn’t answer. Then he whistled and raised his hands over his head in an easy stretch. “Boy. If that’s the case, you all could be prime cruising time for some country thief. I can’t remember the last time I heard something like that.”
    In spite of wanting to bump the air down to fifty and drop on her couch to die from exhaustion, she almost did a jig at his words.
    “You can’t remember the last time you were anywhere as unspoiled as this town.” She dropped to her carpet and stretched over her legs. She wanted to say more, but she didn’t want to ruin the friendly feeling between them. The usual tension was barely even noticeable. And she liked it better that way.
    “I can’t remember the last time I ever saw a downtown so superb.” His stretches showed off his hard abdominal muscles. She’d been a fool to think he was some softy just because he was worth millions. Six packs like his didn’t come from sitting around making million dollar deals.
    As he bent over his legs, she could only admire them. Every muscle defined. Perfect runner’s legs. Oh man. She was crazy about legs like his. She should have guessed that under those Armani suits and Polo casual clothes, he was every bit the athlete his daughter was.
    “Are you done admiring?”
    Fire filled her cheeks at his question.
    “It’s your fault. Who would have guessed you could run?”
    He sat on the floor beside her, leaning back, relaxing. Bringing that old tension right back.
    “Anyone who asked would know.”  
    He’d known what she had planned. She could see it in the teasing glint of his eyes.”
    “Just so I don’t make a fool of myself in the near future, what don’t you do?”
    In answer he laughed. “What, so you can arrange that for our next meeting on your turf? Okay, I’ll bite. I don’t vacuum or dust. Pogo sticks are out of the question, and horses, well, I can take ‘em or leave ‘em, but I prefer leaving. But I gotta tell you, I do a mean yo-yo. I can rock the cradle with the best of them.”
    He laughed again, and she couldn’t help but join him.  
    “I guess I owe you an apology.”
    He shrugged off her suggestion. “Hey, there’s nothing I love more than a worthy adversary. You know there’s nothing wrong with compromise.”
    She didn’t want to talk business. Not now when it felt so good just hanging out with him. Almost normal. Like she was just one of the guys again. She knew this role, knew it well.  
    “So, what did you think of the town?”
    He didn’t answer for such a long time she wondered if she’d already won the first battle.
    “You wouldn’t like it if I told you. Maybe I better just not say a word.”
    She slugged